At the plate: The 0-4 Rockies are hitting just .216 as a team, but they did hit their first homer of spring with Joe Koshansky launching a two-run shot in the ninth.

On the mound: Veteran Josh Fogg, battling to make the roster, was consistently behind in the count and got rocked again. The Dodgers sent nine men to the plate in the fifth, scoring four runs on five hits. Fogg also hit a batter.
Jorge De La Rosa’s two innings mirrored his up-and-down 2008 season. The lefty looked crisp tossing a hitless fourth, but lost command in the fifth, leading to three hits, a walk and a two-run homer by Matt Kemp.
Reliever Jason Grilli, his final game before leaving to play for Italy in the WBC, served up a grand slam to the career minor-leaguer Mitch Jones in the Dodgers’ six-run eighth.

In the field: Left fielder Scott Podsednik flashed his speed in the first, hauling in Blake DeWitt’s shot to the gap in deep left-center. Eric Young, Jr. had a tough day at second, bobbling a throw by shortstop Troy Tulowitzki in the second and misplaying a grounder in the fourth.

Footnotes: Jeff Baker was scratched from the DH spot because of a sore right elbow. … Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki was the only projected starter to play in the field for the Rockies.

Of course, all Brad Hawpe’s hunting buddies want to know if he can shoot a bow. That was the gallows humor that met the Rockies’ right fielder Saturday as he walked into the clubhouse with his left pinkie finer bandaged. Hawpe received four stitches after getting cleated Friday, sidelining him for 5-to-7 days while the cut heals and knocking him out of the World Baseball Classic.
“It could have been a lot worse. If it had broken a bone or affected a tendon, then you are talking about missing time in the regular season,” Hawpe said. “It was just baseball, one of those freak things.”
It has been a rugged week for the Rockies. The lost pitcher Jeff Francis to shoulder surgery, Ian Stewart will be out until at least early next week, he confirmed today, with a sore left biceps and Jeff Baker was scratched from today’s lineup against the Dodgers with tenderness in his right elbow. Baker has been battling the problem off-and-on for the past 10 days.

Turns out Hawpe wasn’t hurt sliding into second base on his hit, but on the next play as he dove back headfirst on a pickoff play. The Angels’ infielder stepped on Hawpe’s hand as he received the throw. Hawpe was scheduled to fly out Sunday to join the American team in Clearwater, Fla.
“My hand kind of went numb. I knew I was done,” Hawpe said. “It’s unfortunate I won’t be able to participate in the WBC. It’s something I really wanted to do. But the way I look at it, it gives somebody else an opportunity.”
Team USA pitching coach Marcel Lachemann said the club was working through a list of names to find a replacement. In the past week team USA has lost outfielders Ryan Ludwick, who had a change of heart and decided to stay in Cardinals’ camp, and Grady Sizemore and Hawpe, the latter two to injury.

Right fielder Brad Hawpe will not participate in the World Baseball Classic after requiring stitches to close a cut on his left pinkie finger, his agent told the Denver Post.
“He will miss WBC, but will be fine for opening day,’’ agent Dan Horwits said Friday night.
Hawpe sustained the injury Friday while sliding into second base. Teammates said he was accidentally cleated by an Angels’ infielder. Hawpe left the game and went to a local hospital to be examined.
Hawpe was expected to leave this Sunday for Clearwater, Fla., to begin training with the American club along with teammate Chris Iannetta. cq
Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki suffered a lacerated right palm last season that sidelined him for 16 days. Hawpe is left-handed, so the cut could temporarily affect his throwing and grip on the bat.

At the plate:Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe delivered back-to-back RBI hits in the first inning, before the offense muted. Hawpe left with a lacerated left pinkie finger that will likely require stitches.

On the mound:Too amped in his desire to make a good impression, fifth starter candidate Greg Smith fumbled through a poor first inning before settling down. He allowed three hits and three walks in two innings. “I don’t usually get that (excited), but I think it came from being on a new team. I think I let it get to me a little bit,” Smith said. Greg Reynolds fought fastball command issues early, but had better sink on his fastball than last season.

In the field:Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki made two spectacular plays, snaring a groundball in the hole and throwing across his body for a force at second base followed by a running catch of a line drive.

Footnote: .Angels’ manager Mike Scioscia’s son Matt played at Tempe Diablo Stadium after the game. He is a catcher for Notre Dame, which faced Gonzaga.

Rockies right fielder Brad Hawpe left the game in the bottom of the first inning after singling home a run. The news became less concerning when it was announced that Hawpe suffered a lacerated left pinkie finger sliding into second base.
Hawpe walked toward walked toward the Angels’ clubhouse in the top of second inning, interrupting the game briefly.
Hawpe singled to right in the first, and hustled to second, sliding in safely after the right fielder fumbled the ball.

His injury could leave a pit in one manager’s stomach: Davey Johnson. The team USA manager already lost Grady Sizemore today with a groin injury today. The three remaining outfielders on the American WBC squad are Ryan Braun, Curtis Granderson, Hawpe and utilityman Mark De Rosa.

Matt Miller replaced Hawpe at second base. Matt Murton is playing right field. Hawpe served as the DH because the game is in an American League park

TUCSON — Ian Stewart emerged from the trainer’s room with a protective sleeve on his left arm today, an indication of a frustrating minor injury. The slugger strained his left biceps on a swing in Thursday’s game.

“It stinks because in my position I really need to be out there. But I will take groundballs today and should be swinging a bat again tomorrow,” said Stewart.

If this was the regular season, Stewart would be playing. The training staff advised caution. No reason to rush given the length of spring training. The good news is that Stewart’s right arm responded well to his first appearance in the outfield. He made a handful of throws with no problem.

“I might have been more nervous if it was a regular-season game. But it was exciting,” Stewart said. “I didn’t have any problems.”

Footnotes
Among the regulars who will be playing Tempe today against the Angels include third baseman Garrett Atkins and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. … Randy Flores continues to make progress in his recovery from offseason shoulder surgery. He will face hitters tomorrow, and if all goes well, will be put into game action. … Reliever Taylor Buchholz is pay attention to his back. He receives heat treatment daily and visited a chirporactor this week. The back hasn’t caused him to adjust his schedule at all.

At the plate: It was an awkwardly quiet day offensively, with Jeff Baker providing a second-inning double that qualified as the highlight. He scored on Joe Koshansky’s ground out.

On the mound: Jason Hirsh believes he’s moving forward, even if his line suggested otherwise. The tall right-hander, whose shoulder problems are behind him, was tagged for three runs and six hits in two innings. After watching the video, Hirsh indicated that he must live a little lower in the zone with his fastball. He hit 88 mph consistently, up approximately 3 mph from last season. Franklin Morales provided the highlight, posting two scoreless innings with a remarkably improved delivery from last spring.

In the field: Eric Young Jr. continues to show potential at second base. The Rockies are giving him a long look before deciding if he’s better suited to be a utility player. He played center field in fall ball.

Footnote: Scheduled to start at third base, Ian Stewart was scratched from the lineup with a sore left biceps. The injury was sustained from swinging the bat. He isn’t expected to miss anymore time.

Tucson — Ian Stewart was scratched from today’s game with a sore biceps of his left arm. Stewart said he hurt the arm swinging the bat. He did not hurt his throwing arm.
Stewart hadn’t spent much time practicing in the outfield in camp, working almost exclusively at third base before going out to left field for Wednesday’s Cactus League opener.
Tracking flyballs proved no problem, but Stewart still hasn’t lengthened in his arm out and is trying to find a middle ground with his motion, knowing he will never throw completely over the top as long as he’s still primarily a third baseman.

The Rockies run out their speediest lineup this afternoon when they host the White Sox at Hi Corbett Field. Leading off and playing second is Eric Young, Jr., followed by Scott Podsednik in left. Batting fifth and playing center is newcomer Carlos Gonzalez.

Right-hander Jason Hirsh starts on the mound, followed by Franklin Morales, Huston Street and Taylor Buchholz.

At the plate: First baseman Joe Koshansky, starting while Todd Helton rehabs his back, went 1-for-1 with an walk, and RBI and a run scored.

On the mound: Ubaldo Jimenez’s fastball velocity was good but his location was not in a shaky two-inning spring debut. The right-hander was rocked for three runs on three hits, including a two-run homer by Chris Young. Jimenez pitches just once more before leaving for the WBC.

In the field: Catcher Chris Iannetta showed off his arm, gunning down Ryan Roberts on a steal attempt and almost nailing Augie Ojeda with a strong pickoff throw to second.

Footnote: Koshansky scored from first on a second-inning double by Clint Barmes, being waved home by Rich Dauer who looks like he’s going to be an aggressive third-base coach.

Tucson — The lineup looks a lot like predicted, save for a few wrinkles as a concession to Todd Helton’s absence. The Rockies plan to conserve Helton this spring in wake of his back surgery, pointing to opening day, not today’s Cactus League opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Hi Corbett Field. Throw Helton in there, and this could very well be the starting 9 in Phoenix on April 6.

Tucson – Word came down Monday that the Rockies’ brass toured glitzy new spring training facilities in Glendale (White Sox and Dodgers) and Goodyear (Indians).

It was the latest step toward the Rockies leaving Tucson, their spring home since 1993. The Rockies could be in a new complex by 2011.

Here are my thoughts on the impending move:

* I’m in the minority, but I would like to see the Rockies stay in Tucson. I’m old fashioned enough to think that Tucson — as opposed to the megalopolis that is Phoenix — is kind of place spring training was meant to be. (Besides, there is an In-N-Out Burger and a Rubio’s just up the street from Hi Corbett Field).

* I’m also realistic enough to know that unless there are four teams in Tucson (dream on) the Rockies are long gone. The two-hour (sometimes three-hour) drive on I-10 up to metro Phoenix wears on teams. It’s a logistical hassle.

* Hi Corbett has a certain old-world charm, I think and it’s a much better place to watch a game than windy, stark Tucson Electric Park. But Hi Corbett has a lot of faults. Getting to the concession stands is a nightmare for fans. The rows and rows of uncovered aluminum bleachers cook fannies and faces.

* I’ve asked around a bit – speaking to the few fans who’ve shown up for early Rockies practices on the back fields – and there seems to be a consensus that Tucson doesn’t really care if the Rockies stay or not.

“With the economy and everything, people don’t care about keeping a team here for just six weeks a year,” a longtime spring fan told me. “No way people will spend tax money to keep the Rockies here.”

* Compared to Cactus League games up in Scottsdale, Tempe or Mesa, games at Hi Corbett are a snooze. A spring break, party atmosphere that permeates a Cubs or Giants game is lacking here. I’ve never understood why the Rockies don’t reach out to kids at the nearby University of Arizona and get them over to the ballpark for a college day or two.

* Anyway, that’s my rant for today. Expect the Rockies-Tucson divorce to be a quiet affair.

What, a punch in the gut wasn’t available? As wake-up calls, Josh Fogg couldn’t have suffered much worse. He started the 9 a.m. scrimmage today at Hi Corbett Field and was tagged for four runs on five hits. He recorded just two outs in 19 minutes before the sides switched.
Eric Young Jr. led off with a single and stole second, setting an ominous tone. Seth Smith, Edwin Bellorin and Paul Phillips all posted RBI singles. Smith’s was a killer, a two-hopper through the right side that could have been a doubleplay ball, but instead plated a pair of runs. Not to be outdone, Dexter Fowler led off with a single and stole second in the bottom of the first, ushered home by an Omar Quintanilla double down the left-field line. Matt Miller later tripled and scored on a wild throw to third base.
With the score 4-3, Fogg returned for a much cleaner second inning. His command much better, Fogg retired the side in order.

It’s the bottom of the fourth, and no more runs have been scored. Sam Deduno has looked good on the mound.

Ubaldo Jimenez’s schedule has been set up for the Rockies’ convenience, not the World Baseball Classic. Jimenez will pitch tomorrow in the Cactus League opener, following Aaron Cook. He’s then tentatively scheduled to work Saturday before leaving to join his Dominican Republic teammates in Florida.
“I haven’t talked to (Dominican Republic) about where he fits in their rotation. I just wanted to make sure we saw him pitch twice,” pitching coach Bob Apodaca said.

Jason Grilli will also pitch Wednesday, leaving him line to make a second appearance before joining Italy as its closer.

Footnotes
Arizona’s right-handed Billy Buckner will start Wednesday’s Cactus League opener against the Rockies. The Rockies will pitch Cook, (2 innings), Jimenez (2), Corpas (1), Embree (1), Morillo (1), Grilli (1), Mattheus (1). … The Rockies are scrimmaging as I write this. Josh Fogg leads, appropriately, Team Fogg. He’s the one pitcher of note involved. Other players of interest include Ian Stewart, who’s at third base not in the outfield, and Dexter Fowler. … Eric Young Jr. led off with a single off the middle against Fogg and stole second base on the next pitch.

Right-hander Billy Buckner will start Wednesday’s Cactus League opener against the Rockies.

Tucson – There was a moment during Sunday morning’s practice that brought tears to the players’ eyes.

Tears of laughter.

With the entire team gathered around, coach Glenallen Hill hit screaming grounders and line drives at pitchers and members of the Rockies’ baseball staff. The game’s called rag-ball, and fortunately for those in the line of fire, the ball is quite a bit softer than a regulation baseball. Not that the ball didn’t leave a few black-and-blue marks of valor and some bruised egos.

The best moment came toward the end when Mike “Tiny” Pontarelli, the assistant clubhouse manager, stepped in to take Hill’s best shots. “Tiny” played high school baseball, as well as some college, do he did quite all right for himself. But there were a few times he looked to be in mortal danger as he dove out of harm’s way.

What left the players laughing, crying and gasping for breath was Tiny’s tongue-out-of-his-mouth expression.

The moment illustrates one of the difference in camp this spring. While the team is paying a lot more attention to details – to the point that it threatens to become drudgery – manager Clint Hurdle and bench coach Jim Tracy are trying to instill a sense of fun and team unity.

The number was different — has switched from No. 4 to No. 3 — and he looked a bit bigger, but that was definitely Luis Gonzalez walking out of the Rockies’ clubhouse. Gonzalez had been delayed by a family issue, and arrived in camp today. He’s a longshot to make the Rockies’ roster, which, if happened, would be a story of redemption.

Gonzalez was banned from Japanese baseball after testing positive for steroids. This is his chance to restore his name and get his career back on solid footing. Gonzalez, you might remember, was the Rockies’ spring training MVP in 2004. He was coined “Little Edgar Gonzalez” for his batting stance and surprising power. With the acquisition of Kazuo Matsui, there was eventually no spot for Gonzalez in the second-base mix.

If he sticks with the Rockies, it will be as an utility player. He would be an intriguing right-handed bat off the bench, though outfielder Matt Murton clearly is the leading candidate to fill the role. Gonzalez is a thoughtful guy, who never misses an opportunity to ask about someone’s family or how they are doing. Good to see him back getting a second chance.

Ian Stewart, is nothing, if not helpful. So the Rockies’ slugger was reading the online Denver Post chat the other day — see somebody besides my family is interested — when he saw the question: What is it like to have Joe Mikulik as a father-in-law? Mik is the Class-A manager for the Rockies, whose known for being hard-nosed and, of course, his 2006 meltdown over poor umpiring. Stewart cleared up the matter.
“He’s very passionate about sports. He loves his Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Longhorns, but he’s a just great guy to hang around with,” Stewart said.
Stewart and Mik have become good friends, as both live in North Carolina in the offseason. They even went on a talk-radio show together recently, stirring the pot, as Stewart put it, by talking up Duke’s chances against North Carolina in hoops. Mik spent part of this winter helping Stewart with this footwork as he makes his transition to the outfield.

Footnotes
Infielder Luis Gonzalez was the lone remaining Rockie that didn’t report Thursday. It’s possibe lit’s a visa issue. … As the Rockies begin hammering out contracts for their zero-to-three-year service time players, Rockies’ outfielder Seth Smith agreed to terms. He will make $403,000 in the majors and $149,514 in the minor leagues. …As a part of Eric Gagne’s one-year, $1.5-million minor league deal, Brewers reliever Eric Gagne can request his release if not on the 40-man roster by March 26.

Pitcher Jeff Francis was scheduled to throw a bullpen session Thursday, but that won’t happen until his shoulder is re-evaluated in the morning. There were growing indications Wednesday afternoon that Francis was leaning strongly toward having the potential season-ending surgery. Francis talked one-on-one with manager Clint Hurdle about his situation Wednesday afternoon.

Francis is believed to have a torn labrum flap creating an impingement. Francis feels pain when he throw, gets better as he loosens up, but the ache remains.

Francis had originally set tomorrow as a deadline to decide, then backed off that in recent days, wanting to see how he did against hitters. Admittedly, this decision has kept him up at night as he’s tried to determine if it’s worth continuing to work through the pain.

Francis went 4-10 last season and landed on the disabled list because of the same shoulder problem.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.